Rotary engine.



No. 628,418. A H. SHOEMAKER Patented July 4, I899.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Mar. 15, 1899.) @No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet l.

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No. 628,418. Pa tented July 4, 1899.

A. H. VSHOEMAKER.

ROTARY ENGINE.

(Application filed Mar. 15, 1899.}

QNo Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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A H oEmAKER.

ROTARY ENGINE. (Applicafioxi filed Mar. 15, 1899.)

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9 9 m 4 N u I. d e t n e t a P B E m G MN r r E HV. R u 0 .R A m 1! 3 2 6 0 N (Application filed Mar. 15, 1899.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN n. SHOEMAKER, OFNIPGEN, 01110.

ROTARY ENGIN E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 628,418, dated July 4,1899.

Application filed March 15, 1899.

T0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALVIN I-I. SH EMAKER, residing atNipgen, in the county of Ross and State of Ohio, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Engines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in rotary engines, and has for an object to provide a novel construction of such engines embodying an outer wheel, an inner wheel eccentric to such wheel, andhaving cylinders whose pistons are connected with cross-heads which move radially in ways formed in the outer wheel, the outer wheel being suspended-from the inner wheel by means of crank-hangers, and means being provided whereby the outer wheel is preserved in its eccentric arrangement to the inner wheel, as will be described.

The invention consists in certain novelconstructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sectionalside view on about line 1 l of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a sectional side view on about line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig.'2 is a section on about line 2 2 of Fig. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on about line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the inner wheel on about line 44 of Fig.3. Fig. 5 is a detail side view, partly in section, of the tripping-valve for operating the steamfeed valve. Fig. 6 is a side view of such tripping devices. Fig. 7 is a detail view of one of the rocking levers for operating the feedvalve. Figs. 8 and 9 are respectivelyside and edge views of the tripping projections for operating the exhaust-valve, and Fig. 10 illustrates in detail one of the jointed rocking levers for operating the exhaust-valve.

In carrying out my invention I provide a suitable frame which, as shown, comprises side plates A, whichsupport the shaft 13 and are provided at C with stub shafts, upon which are journaled the presser-wheels D, which operate to hold the outer wheel E in its desired eccentric relation to the inner wheel F, as best shown in Fig. 2. The outer wheel E has at its opposite sides the side plates E,

which are provided at the quarters with the radial slots E forming the ways in which the cross-heads connected to the pistons, presently described, move I radially in and out. as the Serial No. 709,179. on an.)

wheel F revolves, as will be understood from Fig. 2. These plates E are arranged on opposite sides of the wheel F, as is best shown in Fig. 3, and to these plates E, I connect at G one end of the links G, whose other ends are connected at G2 with the inner wheel F, as is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These links G operate in the nature of cranks and suspend the wheel F in the wheel E, so the motion imparted to the wheel F by its cylinders and pistons, presently described, will serve to operate the outer wheel E, whose moinner wheel F is provided at its rim with a,

series of cylinders F, F F and F, such cyl inders being alike and a space F being provided between the adjacent ends of the succeeding cylinders. This space F is ofa length in the direction of the circumference of the wheel equal to the stroke of the pistons which operate in said cylinders, and in said spaces I provide circumferential ways f for the crosshead to which the pistons are connected, such ways f and cross-head operating to guide and direct the cross-head in the circumferential direction, as desired.

The pistons H H, which operate in the adjoining cylinders, are connected by a pistonrod II, which is secured to the cross-head at a point midway between the connected cylinders. This cross-head comprises a shaft I, which is'provided with blocks 1', which turn on said shaft and slide back and forth in the ways H, and also with the blocks 1 which slide radially in and out in the radial ways E of the outer wheel E. It will thus be seen the pistons which operate in the cylinders of the inner wheel are guided by the cross-heads in the circumferential ways H and also exert pressure within the radial ways E, which pressure is exerted with greater or less eifect according to the position of the blocks I in the radial ways, the eifect of pressure upon the outer wheel being manifestly greater the nearer such pressure is exerted toward the periphery of the wheel. v

A plate J extends from the hub of the wheel F outwardly to the cylinders and divides the central portion of such wheel into two steamspaces J and J the former being for the live stood from Fig. 2.

Valves 7o, R and 70 control the inletports K, K, K and K and valves Z, Z, Z and Z control the corresponding exhaust-ports. These valves are alike, having the body portion 1 and pivoted at 2 with the crank-arms 3, which are connected with the rocking levers, by which the valves are operated in one direction, springs 4 being arranged to normally close the valves. Each arm 3 is connected by a rod or line 5 with its rocking lever, which may be an unbroken lever 6, as shown in Fig. '7, or a jointed lever 7, as shown in Fig. 10. In practice I provide an unbroken lever, such as shown in Fig. 6, for operating all the feed-valves and a jointed lever 7 for operating the two intermediate exhaust-valves Z and Z the exhaust-valves Z andl being operated by the unbroken form of lever, such as shown in Fig. '7.

. A hub or disk'N is secured on the shaft B on one side of the wheel F, and a hub M is likewise secured on said shaft on the opposite side of said wheel. These hubs are provided with steam-ports M N for the inlet and discharge of the steam and also are provided with the tripping projections for operating the rocking levers which open the inlet and exhaust valves presently described. The inner wheel F is provided with circular series of openings m and n for the passage of the steam, and the inlet-port M is made sufficiently large to overlap two of the openings m, as is best shown in Fig. 4, to thus secure practically ,a continuous supply onfeed of steam to the. wheel.

The tripping projections O, 0., O and O for operating the rocking lever of the feedvalve are preferably pins threaded in sockets in the hub M, so they can be turned in or out to adjust them out of or into position for operating their respective rocking levers. These pins are not arranged in the same plane, so that while each pin when properly adjusted will operate its respective rocking lever the other levers will not be operated by such pin.

The tripping projections for the exhaustvalves are in the form of plates P, P, and P extended circumferentially upon the hub N for about one-third the circumference of a circle.

wheel to rotate to the right.

Fig. 4.

P may be secured in either adjustment by screws 17, as shown in Fig. 9.

Asbefore suggested, the rockinglevers for theexhaust-valve at the ends of each cylinder are unbroken and constructed like that shown in Fig. 7, while the rocking levers for the two intermediate exhaust-valves of each cylinder are jointed, as shown in Fig. 10, having a rule-joint so their inner arms will be operated when moved'in one direction by the tripping projections on the hub N and will not be operated in the other direction of movement. Asshown in Fig. 2, the jointed levers of each pair are reversed so one will beoperated when the wheel is moved in one direction and not on the other movement and the other lever of such pair will be reversely operated, as will be understood from said Fig. 2.

The wheels D, bearing against the bottom of the wheel IE, will secure said wheel E in its desired relation to the wheel F, as before described.

In the operation of the engine, referring now to Fig. 4, it will be seen the valve X is open, admitting steam behind the piston marked Y, while the valves marked X, X and X are closed. Pressure behind the piston marked Y will force it forward, while steam will be exhausting in front of the piston by the opening of the proper exhaustvalve on the opposite side. This forward movement of such piston exertsa forward tendency on the larger wheel E, causing such The steam admitted through'valve X expands, driving the piston to the position shown at Z in said Fig. 4, the valve X remaining closed until the piston in the same cylinder assumes the position shown at 10. in said Fig. 4, when the valve X will be opened, admitting steam between the pistons in the same cylinder and at the same time steam will be exhausting behind both said pistons. The steam between the pistons will then expand until the cylinder reaches the position marked 11 in The forward run of these pistons will travel the faster because while both pistons are connected to the larger wheel the connection of the former is farther from the center of said wheel and consequently'moves faster than the one connected near the center of said wheel. It will be understood that the several cylinders operate alike to produce the desired movement of the two wheels.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A rotary engine comprising an inner wheel an outer wheel fitted over the inner wheel, a framing, wheels journaled to the framing and bearing within the outer wheel whereby to preserve the same in the desired eccentric relation to the inner wheel, the pistons being arranged in each cylinder, pistonrods connecting the pistons in the adjoining cylinders and extended across the space between such cylinders, cross-heads connected with said piston-rods between the cylinder and.having blocks, circumferential ways on the inner wheel and radial ways on the outer wheel receiving their respective blocks, the crank-like hangers connecting the inner and outer wheels, and the steam inlet and exhaust valves and means for operating the same all substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

2. In a rotary engine the combination of the outer wheel having the radial ways, the inner wheel provided with the circumferential cyl inders spaced apart, the crank-like hangers connecting the inner and outer wheels, such inner wheel being also provided with circumferential ways between the adjacent cylinders, the piston-rods extending between the adjacent cylinders and having at their ends pistons operating in such cylinders, the crosshead having portions operatin g in the circu mferential ways of the inner wheel and in the radial ways of the outer wheel and means for controlling the inlet to and exhaust from said cylinders substantially as set forth.

3. In a rotary engine the combination of the wheel provided with circumferential cylinders spaced apart and with pistons operating in said cylinders, the piston-rods connecting the pistons in the adjacent ends of the adjoining cylinders, each cylinder having a series of inlet and exhaust ports, valves controlling such ports and rocking levers connected with said valves to operate the same and projections arranged to engage and operate said rocking levers substantially as set forth.

4. In a rotary engine the combination of the wheel provided witha series of steam-inlet openings, the shaft on which said wheel revolves, the hub fixed with relation to said shaft and having a steam port or opening registering with the openings in the revolving wheel, the cylinders and pistons and means for controlling the passage of steam thereto substantially as set forth.

5. In a rotary engine the combination of the wheel having circumferential steam-cylinders provided with ports, the valves controlling said ports, the rocking levers connected with and arranged to operate said valves; such levers being arranged in different planes and tripping projections for operating saidlevers, such projections being also arranged in different planes whereby they will only operate their respective rocking levers substantially as set forth.

6. The combination with the revolving wheel-having the circumferential cylinders provided with steam-inlet ports, the valves controlling such ports, the rocking levers connected with and arranged to operate said valves, and the tripping projections for said levers, such projections being movable into and out of position to operate their respective rocking levers substantially as set forth.

7. The combination with the revolving Wheel having the circumferential cylinders provided with steam-exhaust ports,the valves controlling such ports, the rocking levers connected with and arranged to operate the exhaust-valves, the outermost levers of each series being unbroken, two intermediate levers of each series being formed with rulejoin ts and being reversed as described and the tripping-plates for engagement bysaidjointed and unbroken levers substantially as setforth.

8. In a rotary engine the combination of the outer wheel, the inner wheel eccentric to the outer wheel, means for preserving the eccentric arrangement of said wheels, the circumferential cylinders on the inner wheel, such cylinders being spaced apart and circumferential ways being provided between said cylinders, radial ways on the outer wheel crossing the circumferential ways of the inner wheel, the pistons arranged in pairs and operating in the cylinders of the inner wheel, the piston-rods connecting the pistons in the adjacent ends of the adjoining cylinders, such rods extending between the adjacent cylinders as described, the cross-heads connected with the piston-rods midway between their ends and having blocks operating in the said circumferential and radial ways, each cylinder being provided with a series of inlet anda series of exhaust ports, the series of valves controlling the inlet and exhaust of steam, the series of rocking levers connected with and arranged to operate said valves, the projections for operating said levers and the crank-like hangers connecting the inner and outer wheels substantially as set forth.

9. vA rotary engine comprising an outer wheel, an inner wheel eccentric to the outer wheel and provided with the pistons, the piston-rods, sliding connections between such piston-rods and the outer wheel and means for controlling the supply and exhaust of steam substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ALVIN H. SI'IOEMAKER.

WVitnesses:

SoLoN C. KEMoN, PERRY B. TURPIN. 

